A short film about how James V’s palace at Stirling Castle is being returned to its 16th-century magnificence can now be seen on the internet. Historic Scotland is using the web to publicise the Â£12 million project to refurbish the royal apartments to create a major new visitor attraction. The film is the first in a planned series highlighting the project itself, and the work of the traditional craftsmen and women who are decorating, furnishing and fitting the palace using many of the same skills and materials as their predecessors in the early 1540s.

The infamous Archibald the Grim – feared throughout Scotland in the late 14th century – descends on the formidable bastion of Bothwell Castle at the beginning of next month. And those who are brave enough to come along and meet the man named for his ferocity will have a chance to hear first-hand his ambitious plans to dominate the country.

Historic Scotland has today (date) reported a 7% increase in visitors to its sites over the past twelve months. The figures, which include 345 of Scotland’s leading heritage sites including Scotland’s number one paid for visitor attraction, Edinburgh Castle, are ahead of projections and paint an encouraging picture for the tourism sector, following a more challenging year in 2008-2009.